


On Thin Ice

by ThislassisHooked



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Swan AU - Freeform, Captain Swan January Joy, F/M, Falling Through Ice, Fluff, Killian has a cat named Roger, Light Smut, Lots of cuddling by the fire, figure skating
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-03 21:30:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17291795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThislassisHooked/pseuds/ThislassisHooked
Summary: Emma didn't notice the sunken warning sign about thin ice when she launched herself onto the secluded lake. Luckily, park ranger, Killian Jones had noticed her just in time to jump into the freezing water to pull her to safety.





	On Thin Ice

**Author's Note:**

> For CSJJ. This was only supposed to be a pic set, but it kind of got away from me. Check me out on tumblr if you'd like to see the pic set that proceeds it.

Emma just needed some time alone to think. Walsh had asked her to marry him, but she didn’t know if she truly loved him. He was nice enough, looked good in a suite and owned his own furniture shop, but she never felt butterflies in his presence. He was also slightly on the boring side. More than slightly if she was being honest. All of their dates had consisted of dinner and maybe a movie if he was feeling adventurous. She had once suggested they go camping in the Adirondack mountains, but he said it was too much work to pack everything and asked her why she would want to go somewhere out of cell range.

She sighed as she packed her skates into her bag and headed to the nearest town with a rink, located near Sebago Lake State Park about forty-five minutes west of Storybrooke. Her heart sank when she saw the “closed for repairs” sign on the door. Skating was her passion and a way to escape reality when she was growing up in the system. She had somehow managed to scrape enough money together to get intermittent lessons, all of her instructors in every town she was bounced around to calling her a natural.

When she was placed with Ingrid in the small New England town of Storybrooke, Maine, she had seen the potential in Emma and genuinely wanted her to be happy. Ingrid funded her lessons and introduced her to her niece Elsa’s coach. After watching Emma skate once, Mary Margaret agreed to teach her everything she knew. The woman was only ten years older than fifteen year old Emma and the two formed a sisterly friendship. Elsa was also like a sister to her and Emma cried the day Ingrid asked her if she would like a permanent home with her. She kept her last name, all of them agreeing that Swan was the perfect name for a figure skating olympic gold medalist. Emma never saw herself actually going to the Olympics, but she could dream.

Emma had taken first in the United States Figure Skating Association's novice and junior categories when she was nineteen and twenty three, respectively, but it was her win at the regional championship a year later that gave her a shot at taking gold in the national championship in just a few short weeks. Some might consider her too old at twenty-four and having started her training too late, but she never listened to those critics. She knew she was good and she certainly didn’t feel old. If she took first at nationals she would go to the world figure skating championship. If she won a medal there she would qualify for the Olympics a year later. The pressure was on to be at her best.

Walsh never saw the appeal of skating. She started dating him the day after she took gold at Regionals. He showed little interest in the sport and always looked bored when she would bring it up. It hurt that he wasn't taking the time off to go to nationals to support her, claiming he was just too busy at the store.

Feeling defeated, Emma was heading home when she spotted a frozen lake. She stopped to inspect it, checking for any warning signs about thin ice. Not seeing any, she hopped out of her bug, bag in tow, and headed for a tree stump located at the edge of the lake. She laced her skates up and pushed herself off, gliding around the glassy surface, feeling all of her worries melt away.

 

Killian finished his duties for the day, having chopped what felt like an entire tree for firewood at the ranger station. This time of year was always slow in the park. There were only a handful of snowmobillers and an occasional duck hunter that would cross his path. He threw some of the firewood into the back of his truck and started heading home for the day.

He loved the tranquility that came with living literally in the middle of nowhere. He had a comfortable cabin in the woods that he shared with his cat Roger, hence the reason for the firewood. The cabin had perfectly efficient heating, but Roger loved to lay in front of the fireplace and bask in the extra warmth it provided him.

As he passed by Thomas Pond a flash of movement caught his eye. He pulled his truck over and peered out over the pond. A woman was skating on the pond, the very dangerous pond. He jumped out of his truck and that’s when he spotted the yellow beetle parked down the road. What on earth was she doing out there? Hadn’t she seen the sign? That’s when he realized _he_ couldn’t see the sign. “Shit,” he cursed to himself. It must have sunk to the surface again, hiding it behind a snow bank.

He took off, running as fast as he could, yelling and waving his arms. The woman was too distracted to notice him, spinning in circles and performing mesmerising jump spins. He would be incredibly impressed if he wasn’t in full on panic mode. With every perfect landing he cringed. His lungs burned from running as fast as he could in the cold air. Suddenly she turned and halted her movement, finally noticing him. He knew he was still too far away for her to make out what he was saying, but he’s sure she understood when she peered down at her skates. Her gaze lifted to his once again and in a flash she plunged into the icy water. His panic evolved into fear for her life when she didn’t resurface. Without any regard for his own safety, Killian ran to the hole she disappeared through as fast as possible on the slippery surface. He could see the panicked woman through the ice about ten feet from the hole and without a second thought he dove in.

 

She faintly heard someone yelling from the distance. She glided to a halt to see a strange man waving his hands over his head and dashing toward her. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what he was trying to tell her. Emma peaked down at her skates and gasped at the cracks of ice that surrounded them. The man had just jumped over the stump when she suddenly felt the ice give way.

Everything in that moment became silent until her own panicked scream escaped her lips just before her body was engulfed by the shockingly cold water. The water felt like tiny, little daggers piercing her skin all at once. She intended to swim up, back to the hole she had descended from, but it was nowhere in sight. Just solid ice lay before her. Just when everything started to get black, she heard a second splash. She felt the strong arms wrap around her, pulling her somewhere. If she lost consciousness now the rational part of her brain told her she would die, but she was having a hard time holding on to rationality at the moment. It was only when he turned his head, gazing at her with such intense concern burning through his ocean blue eyes that Emma was able to gain some of her senses, at least enough to assist him as he lunged her through the hole and took her first breath of oxygen. She instinctively reached for him, helping him climb out of said hole and they both laid there for just a moment to gain their senses.

“We need to,” her rescuer started, “army crawl to the shore.” He paused to take a few short breaths. “Do you think you can do that with me, lass?” She could only nod, unsure if she had a voice. Together, they slowly slithered along the thin ice, her heart rate picking up with every crack she heard. He would grab her hand reassuringly and wink, calming her instantly.

It felt like forever, but they finally reached a safe spot to stand. The only problem being that Emma didn’t think she could. Just as she was attempting to, a pair of strong arms cradled her with one arm under her knees and the other supporting her shoulders. Under different circumstances, Emma may have protested to being carried bridal style, but black spots in her vision told her she wasn’t going to be conscious for long.

 

Killian loaded the mystery skater into the passenger side door and whipped around to his side, eager to get the heater going. He could tell that she was out cold by the time the truck came to life. With all heating adjustments made, he continued his journey to the cozy cabin he called home and feeling extra thankful for Roger for always demanding a fire. He and the beautiful blonde next to him were going to need it tonight.

He reached his cabin in record time, realizing that he was also finding it hard to stay awake. He scooped the blonde in his arms and worked hard to carry them both to the door. He hiked her over his shoulder in order to gather the keys from his pocket. By some miracle he got them both through the door.

He sat the woman on the chair nearest to the fireplace to retrieve the chopped wood. Roger watched him intently as he ran back from the truck with a pile of it, throwing half of it in with some newspaper and kindling. Once he was sure the fire would grow, he ran around the little home to collect every blanket and fleece throw he could find.

The next task that had to be done made him blush to the tips of his ears. He needed to peel her out of her wet clothes. He pulled off her heavy wool coat to reveal a cream colored sweater and black leggings. Next he worked at the laces of her skates, pulling her feet free of both the skates and soggy socks. He frowned at the site of her blue, ice cold toes. He then hitched his fingers under the hem of her leggings and pulled them down, revealing gray knickers with a pink bow stitched above the center. The last article of clothing that needed to be removed was her sweater. He pulled it over her head and found himself smiling at the matching cotton gray bra with pink bows on each shoulder below the strap. He didn’t have time to marvel at her lithe and shapely body. He swaddled her in the warmest blanket before moving her to the couch and wrapped another few blankets and throws around and on top of her before he stripped out of his own icy clothes. He wrapped a blanket around his shoulders as he threw their clothes into the dryer, then joined her on the couch. He pulled her into a tight hug, willing his body heat to transfer to her, not that he had much to give.

 

The first thing Emma noticed was that she was definitely not in her apartment. The second was the pair of blue/gray eyes of a silver cat staring curiously at her from it’s spot on the rug nearest the fireplace. The third and final things she noticed was that she was hot as hell, struggling to breath under all the blankets and throws.

“It hits you pretty fast doesn’t it?" An accented voice came from behind her as she struggled to breath. “I’d leave that last blanket on, love, or else you’ll be giving both Roger and me quite the show." Emma lifted the fuzzy oversized throw just a tad and realized with horror that she was stripped to her underwear. "Your clothes are done drying now. I hung them up in the hall closet.” The stranger finally stepped from what she assumed was his kitchen with the most delicious smelling eggs and bacon, but as soon as she saw his face, all thought of food escaped her. She had already noticed his eyes during her time of panic, but what surrounded them was just as perfect. His dark, ruffled hair laid over his forehead accentuating his cerulean blue gems. A layer of scruff covered his cheeks, above and below his luscious lips and down, around his chiseled chin.

“I thought you might be hungry after sleeping for nearly twenty-four hours.” Emma’s sudden hitch in her breathing startled him as he quickly sat down the two plates of steaming breakfast and approached her cautiously. “I um… pulled you out of the lake at around eleven yesterday morning. You lost consciousness almost immediately and it is now approaching ten the next day.”

Emma was warring with herself in her head. She _was_ starving, but Walsh must be sick with worry. She didn’t even know her rescuer’s name and vice versa. “Wha…” she struggled to speak. The man rushed to grab her a glass of water. She took a generous gulp then attempted to utter her question again. “What’s your name?” The handsome stranger gave her an adorable lopsided grin.

“Killian Jones, at your service, m’lady,” he informed her with a flourishing bow. "And that lump of fur,” he nodded his head toward the fireplace, “is Roger, my only companion. May I have the pleasure of knowing yours?”

“Emma Swan.” She reached out to grasp his offered hand, but it was the look of recognition that crossed his face that had her completely confused.

“Of course you are. I don’t know why I didn’t see the resemblance before.”

“I’m sorry, have we met?”

“Perhaps we should sit down to eat before the food gets cold and I shall explain everything,” he gestured to the delicious smelling food. “I’ll just grab the coffee and pancakes. I’m sorry that it is not cocoa with whipped cream and cinnamon.” He left the room, leaving Emma completely flabbergasted. As he re-entered the the room she was already stuffing her face with eggs and bacon and her mouth watered af the stack of steaming hotcakes. “No need for manners, love. I, myself have only had coffee this morning and am quite starved as well.”

 

After they had stuffed their faces and Emma had dressed in her sweater and legging again, still feeling a bit chilled. Killian had noticed and wrapped her in a throw and offered her a pair of fuzzy socks. He prepared her her favorite drink and joined her on the couch

“So, I think now would be just as good a time as any for you to explain why you know how to prepare my favorite drink.” Killian studied the blonde beauty that sat beside him. She was even more stunning in person. Her golden tresses shimmered against the firelight and her emerald eyes glimmered with curiosity.

“My brother’s daughter, Sophie, has somewhat of an obsession with you. You’re her favorite skater. Her skating class was given the opportunity to go to Regionals in Boston where you won gold. She pulls up youtube videos of you all the time and we watch them together. You have perfect form, love, and we both wholeheartedly believe you will win gold at the olympics." He saw tears well up in her eyes at his praise.

Unlike her fiance, he enjoyed watching her skate her heart out. She suddenly felt a swell of affection for this man whom she had only known for barely a day. Suddenly Walsh came into her mind, he must be worried sick. “Do you have a phone I can borrow?”

“Aye, a landline. I should have thought to asked if there was anyone you needed to call. It’s right through here.” He lead her to a small room that looked like a study, flipped on a table lamp and held out the receiver to her and shut the door to give her some privacy.

 

Emma dialed Walsh’s cell, expecting to hear his deep timber.

“Hello,” a woman with a sleepy voice answered. Emma heard a hushed “relax, it’s not Emma’s number.”

“May I speak with Mr. Ozwalski, please?” Emma inquired calmly.

“Darling, some lady wants to talk to you,” she heard as the voice got further away, “I’m going to get dressed.”

“Walsh Ozwalski speaking, what can I do for you?” The sound of his voice make her want to vomit.

“You can start by going to Hell,” she said calmly.

“Emma!” he fumbled, “why aren’t you calling from your cell?”

“Tell me something Walsh, have you for one moment wondered where I’ve been for the last twenty-four hours?”

“I just figured you were busy with your skating thing.”

“My skating thing?” By now Emma was seeing red. “My skating _thing!?_ This is my dream, you selfish ass, not that you ever noticed.

“Come on, Ems, you were always practicing, I needed something to fill my time with.”

“Or someone? Now I know what you were doing when you were _busy_ at work.” Emma slammed the phone so hard she feared she may have broken Mr. Jones only line of communication. She expected the tears to come, but they never did. Her heart was not broken and she actually found herself feeling relieved. She heard a soft knock come from the door.

“Is everything okay in there?” she heard him ask, his words laced with concern.

"Never better.” She opened the door to a relieved smile. “I just broke up with my cheating, almost fiance.” He arched his brow at her surprising revelation. “Walsh was a terrible boyfriend. He never once saw me skate competitively, obviously choosing to sleep with other women instead.

I don’t know why I was with him so long. He actually proposed last night.” Now both of Killian’s eyebrows rose to his hairline. “That’s why I was so desperate to skate yesterday, but Geppetto's Ice Rink was closed. When I saw that beautiful pond and no warning signs,” Killian blushed and scratched behind his right ear, “I jumped at the chance to have some alone time on the ice to think about my answer.”

“Were you considering it? His proposal?”

“I thought I was in love, so yes. But the longer I thought about it, the less sure I became.” Killian reached out his hand and lead her to the fire still burning in the hearth.

“Emma, I have a confession to make.” She studied him closely and she could see fear behind his eyes. “I’m the reason you fell through that ice.” Well that was shocking and hard to believe. “It’s my job as the sole Winter park ranger to maintain those warning signs and I knew that one had a tendency to sink below the snow bank. I’m so sorry, love.” Emma thought long and hard about her response. She could see such remorse form across his handsome face as he turned away from her in shame. She took his hand and held it until he faced her one again, hope blooming in his too blue eyes.

“Well, I’m not,” she answered honestly to his shocked expression. “I would never have met Roger, for one. I would never have known that I have a young fan out there who admires and aspires to be like me.” Her face soured at her next reason. “I would never have discovered Walsh’s treachery and possibly married that bastard.” She reached up to place her hand on his prickly cheek. “And I would never have met you.”

 

Killian was stunned at her admission. He was sure that she would never forgive him and demand a ride back to her car. His eyes darted between her emerald orbs and her soft pink lips and when he caught sight of her mimicking him, he lunged forward, locking their lips in a searing kiss that just felt right. His right hand moved to her soft tresses while his left rested softly against her waist. Her hands flew to his hair, running her fingers through it, surely making it stand in all direction. He shivered when she pulled at the sensitive ones at the nape of his neck. He moved to deepen the kiss and that’s when Emma pushed her tongue passed his teeth and deep inside his mouth. She tasted amazing, chocolate, cinnamon and something uniquely her. He knew they needed to come up for air, but by god, he wished he could taste her for hours.

When they pulled apart, their foreheads stayed glued to each other, neither one wanting to break contact. “That was…”

“Not enough,” she responded as she pulled him into another heart stopping kiss. They hardly know each other, but Killian felt as though he had known her for years. He had had a schoolboy crush on her ever since Sophie had shown him videos of her skating at regionals. Emma suddenly pushed him down into the cushion of his couch and straddled his lap with her legs. He certainly couldn’t help the reaction his body was having, but when she wrenched her sweater off her body to reveal the same two pink bows he had admired the night before and the ample swell of her breasts, there really was no turning back now. If she wanted his, he was all hers

He lifted them off the couch, with little to no effort, and carried them to this humble bedroom. She giggled as he laid her down on the bed and admired her beauty and thanked his lucky stars that Emma Swan had come into his life and that she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“I believe you know how to take my leggings off, Jones. Think you can handle the rest?” she said with a flirtatious smile.

It may have been awhile, but he knew how to please a woman. He pulled her leggings down while she worked furiously the divest him of his henley. She looked so much more beautiful in her bra and panities now that the pinkish hue had returned to her fair skin. He suckled on the swell of her breasts while he reached around her to unclasp her simple, but enticing bra. Her dusty pink nipples called to him and he had know choice but to taste them as he relished in Emma’s moans. His fingers hooked the hem of her panties as he lowered them slowly, eyes focused solely on Emma.

Once he had thrown them across the room, Emma surprised him by flipping them so that she could continue her exploration of his body. She raked her delicate fingers through his chest hair. She did not, however, take her time in tearing off his pants and boxers. He reached for her sex and groaned at the wetness that had pooled there already. He wanted to taste her in every way, but not until she had a taste of him, he realized as she crawled preditorilly toward him.

 

Emma laid in the aftermath of their lovemaking. She remembered the look of pure joy as he linked his fingers with her and stared into her very soul as he emptied himself inside her, having made her come countless times with his fingers, tongue and even words. How had she fallen so fast and hard for a man she barely knew?

“Emma,” he spoke huskily into the dark. “I know of a marshy field, not far from here, that is always frozen this time of year and bares no risk to your health.” She turned in his arms to peer into his sincere gaze. “I can asked Robin from Geppetto’s to tow the zamboni out there so you could have a proper rink to prepare for the championship.” Emma was truly touched by his gesture, but it was simply too much too to ask of him. As if he knew her inner turmoil, he added, “He owes me a favor for introducing him to his wife and… you could stay here so you don’t have to make the drive every day.” That last statement had him blushing. Emma thought for a moment about the offer and it really was her best option and very sweet of him to suggest it to her. Two weeks with Killian Jones really didn’t seem that bad.

“I’d like that, very much,” she claimed, kissing him on the nose. Her answer awakened something inside him and he vigorously rolled back on top of her and peppered her face with sweet kisses before entering her once more, plunging slowly and purposefully. She could feel the drag of his ample length with every thrust. His efforts increased as her moans got louder.

After they were both spent, she spoke one last time into the darkness. “I just need to grab a few things from my apartment tomorrow.”

“I will have Robin start on the field before your return,” he hummed against her neck.

 

Emma was getting better with every day. Liam, Belle and Sophie even made the drive out to watch her practice her routine. At one point, Emma had pulled Sophie out onto the ice and taught her a few elementary moves and Sophie was in heaven. Robin hadn’t minded the extra work; it kept him busy while Geppetto got the rink in working order again.

Nationals were only a few days away and Killian was debating whether to tell Emma of his true feelings. He was in love with her, there was no denying it anymore. The only problem was that he was afraid it would scare her and affect her performance.

As they lay in bed the night before leaving for nationals, Killian whispered into the ear of his sleeping girlfriend that he loved her more than anything in the world. At least, he thought she was sleeping.

 

Emma landed every triple axle, toe and lutz with ease, giving a flawless performance. It was enough to earn her not a bronze or silver, but gold medal with a nearly perfect score. Killian and Sophie were there to cheer her on, Belle having to stay home due to her upcoming delivery of their son.

When the skaters were finally finished with interviews, Emma found Killian and Sophie waiting patiently with wide, bright smiles spread across their beaming faces. Emma leaped into Killian’s arms, reaching his cold ear and whispered “I love you, too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave kudos, reviews or both if you liked it.


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